In the ensuite bathroom, Salm has customized a cabinet from Finesse furniture store, topping it with black quartz and a bowl sink.Greg Southam
/ Edmonton Journal

In the master bedroom, orange colour blocking contrasts brilliantly with the muted greys of the bedding and decor.Greg Southam
/ Edmonton Journal

The textured grey laminate along this wall of kitchen cupboards is designed to resemble bamboo.Greg Southam
/ Edmonton Journal

Although the large windows means the second floor can heat up significantly in summer, Salm installed thick roller blinds rather than air conditioning, in keeping with her environmentally friendly philosophy.Greg Southam
/ Edmonton Journal

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A sense of quiet purpose infuses the living space created by Karen Salm for her family.

Maybe it’s the combination of soft touches, such as a furry cream rug in the centre of the family room, and crisp lines, including the geometrically inspired kitchen island, that keep the home feeling warm, and yet solid. Or maybe it’s the notion of sustainability that underpins many of the design choices in the home, located in the eco-driven community of Larch Park at Magrath, in Edmonton’s southwest. Yes, we all want something beautiful. But some of us also want something that makes sense for the planet.

“I tried to keep it as green and clean as I could,” says Salm, who has a master’s degree in architecture. “That was the focus for Larch Park, and that was right up my alley.”

Larch Park’s eco-highlights include LED street lighting, a construction waste-recovery program, and bioswales (gently sloped drainage corridors filled with vegetation that helps remove silt and pollution from runoff water). Salm’s master’s thesis was rooted in reuse; she created a plan to turn an old steam plant in Winnipeg into a commercial and residential complex.

Her new home, which the family has now occupied for a year, saw Salm sourcing materials for cupboards and baseboards that were made without formaldehyde (a commonly used but toxic construction material). The home — 3,600 square feet on three levels — was built by Habitat Studio & Workshop. It features a double-wall system to increase insulation, and is ready to be fitted with solar panels in the future. Though the bank of east-facing windows in the living/dining and kitchen area heats the home considerably in the summer, Salm decided against air conditioning, using thickly woven roller blinds to block the light, and opening the windows at night to let the hot air escape.

While Salm provided the inspiration for the design, the custom plans were drawn up by architect Trevor Hoover of Habitat Studios. One of the most unusual features of the home is that the front door opens on to the floor that houses the media and entertainment room and the master bedroom, rather than the kitchen/living area. Guests must walk up a flight of stairs, with steel cable for spindles and a grey-stained oak railing, to reach the top-floor living area, a big, open space with a double-sided, glass-enclosed gas fireplace in its centre. Salm says she switched the floors around to take advantage of the view from the top floor, where windows overlook the lush ravine at Whitemud Creek, part of Edmonton’s renowned river valley system.

“When the weather is wild, you feel like you are in the centre of it because you can see the sky more,” says Salm. “Sometimes we see coyotes or deer from here.”

Salm and her husband, Gerry, wanted the bedrooms of their two boys, aged 10 and 12, on the lower floor. It’s slightly below grade, but nine-foot ceilings lend an airy feel. The large bedrooms feature cork floors, warm and soft on the feet, and big, walk-in closets. Nearby is a large area with a drum kit and electric guitar, a couple of beanbag chairs and a television. It’s a mini man-cave that will suit the boys even more as they get older and want more privacy.

Salm ordered the powder room sink from the United States, preferring its solid lines to the traditional pedestal and bowl design in many half-baths. Green colored glass tiles adorn the backsplash. The children share a bathroom with an attractive, masculine design. The cabinet is actually a tread-stamped stainless steel tool chest purchased from a hardware store, with a grey quartz countertop installed on top to hold the sink. Red accents mirror the industrial feel.

The same custom touch is apparent in the master bathroom; Salm found the sink cabinet at Finesse furniture store and topped it with black quartz. The bathroom, with a big, walk-in steam shower, is part of the master bedroom’s massive closet, with a small water closet tucked away. Bright, pumpkin colour-blocking adds punch to the minimalist grey and cream tones of the bedroom furnishings.

The top floor is the heart of the home. The floors are white oak, stained a dark grey, and the colour scheme combines shades of grey and black, with red and cream accents. The cosy, silk-blend rug in the living room was a steal from Winner’s at $300. The nearby kitchen is distinctive for its German composite cabinet cupboards. Some of the cupboard faces are a textured, grey laminate that mimics bamboo, and others are faced in a whimsical robin’s egg-blue glass. The large island has two quartz pieces in grey and dark grey with an angled edge to add visual interest. There is a dumb waiter in the upstairs pantry that is connected to the laundry room on the ground floor, near the garage so groceries don’t have to be lugged up the stairs.

The design is environmentally friendly, and family-friendly, too.

“The boys sit at the island on their stools and eat their breakfast while I make their lunches for school,” says Salm, standing in her kitchen and gesturing around the room. “It’s so functional and it works so well for our family.”

Liane can be reached at lfaulder@edmontonjournal.com with suggestions for future features on unique or beautiful homes in the Edmonton region.

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